After Sen Jim DeMint resigned in November 2012, Gov. Nikki Haley appointed Scott to the office. This election was only to decide who would continue DeMint’s term. Scott will have to run again in 2016 to earn a full six-year term.

Scott, a Tea Party darling, has openly discussed the necessity of impeaching President Barack Obama, tightening food stamp restrictions and slicing the HIV/AIDS budget for the state.

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As previously reported by NewsOne, Scott has refused invitations to join the Congressional Black Caucus.

“While I recognize the efforts of the CBC and appreciate their invitation for me to caucus with them, I will not be joining at this time,” Scott said in 2010. “My campaign was never about race.”

“The Black community, like all communities, will benefit when businesses can use their profits to hire more workers instead of paying higher taxes,” he said. “Reducing the tax burden, decreasing government interference in the private sector, and restoring fiscal responsibility, and I don’t think those ideals are advanced by focusing on one group of people.”

Now that Scott has won the historic election, he has quite a bit to say about race.

My skin color is talked about often. Tonight I want to talk about it for just a moment.